


Let Them Talk

by RavenT2



Series: Big Hero 6: Better Days [3]
Category: Big Hero 6 (2014)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Original Character(s), Romance, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28587624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenT2/pseuds/RavenT2
Summary: Sequel to "When I Come Around." Hiro meets GoGo's family, including her younger sister. GoGo's fears losing Hiro to her more affectionate sister and overall discomfort of being around her family get the better of her, leading to several truths being revealed from all sides. Inspired by a Hugh Laurie song of the same name. Hiro/GoGo. (Repost from my other fanfic site.)
Relationships: Fred | Fredzilla & Wasabi-No Ginger & Hiro Hamada & Honey Lemon & Go Go Tomago, Hiro Hamada/Go Go Tomago
Series: Big Hero 6: Better Days [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094702
Kudos: 9





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: 2021.01.06
> 
> I first posted this story on 05/01/2019 and I'm really proud of how it turned out. Now, a few mechanics. I gave GoGo the first name "Ethel", based on suggestion from Jade Chung during an interview she did. I also took some creative freedom with GoGo's family. Again, I wrote this before the series came out and this only follows the movie, anyway. I hope all of you like it!
> 
> Enjoy!

** Part 1 **

It had been over six months since Hiro and GoGo started dating. Aside from periodic teasing from the rest of the team and unwelcome yet innocent questions from Baymax and Aunt Cass, things were going perfectly for them. GoGo was left with a lot of concern, however, when she got a phone call from her mother saying that she and GoGo’s father would be visiting San Fransokyo and wanted to meet Hiro.

That night, after she spoke with her mother, GoGo made a mad dash for the Lucky Cat Café to talk to Hiro. They were sitting at a table near the window, and, while GoGo wouldn’t go into a lot of details as to why, Hiro could tell this was bothering her.

Hiro held GoGo’s hands, “You know I don’t mind meeting them, right?”

“Yeah.” GoGo sighed. “You sure you want to, though?”

“Are _you_ sure, is the better question. You don’t look like you’re really happy about this.”

“Just… it’s my family,” GoGo said, not being able to find a better way to put it.

“You’ve been around Aunt Cass,” Hiro replied. “What’s worse than that?”

“Okay, first off, Aunt Cass is ah-mazing!”

“Thank you!” Cass shouted from the counter.

Hiro chuckled and shook his head.

GoGo smiled for a brief second before the smile faded. “Second, you have no idea what my parents can be like. They’re nothing like me.”

Hiro smiled GoGo, affectionately. “No one is.”

“Are you flirting with me? Really? Right now?”

He shrugged.

She shook her head but started blushing, “Okay, okay. It works.”

“I thought it would.”

“You don’t get them, Hiro,” she said. “They’re smart. But… not like me.”

“And like I said, no one is,” he replied.

“And… they may not think too highly of me. Or my choices. Or even my friends, sometimes. They didn’t really think that much of my old friends. The couple that I had. Just… anything about me, in general. I mean, they’ll probably love you, but, me…”

Hiro had never seen GoGo react like this. She was bordering on rambling. She never rambled. He rubbed her knuckles, “GoGo. It’s gonna be fine. I’ve got you, whatever you need.”

“I’m gonna be honest: I need you to have a lot of patience with me.” She sighed. “Dealing with them won’t be easy for me. It’s why I moved from home.”

“I’ve got you.”

“Thank you.”

“And it’s just your parents. How bad can it be?”

She stared at him, slowly narrowing her eyes. “Did you really just say that?”

“Regret it already,” he admitted. “So, instead, I’ll say it’s gonna be okay.”

She scoffed. She looked down then back at him, “You know… we’ve… I’ve never told you _why_ I moved from home.”

“I know,” he replied. “You can tell me when you want.”

“Thanks, Hiro,” she said. She stood up, leaned over the table, and kissed him. “You really are smart enough to be my boyfriend.”

“Praise from the queen of speed,” he smiled. “High praise, indeed.”

“Shut up,” she laughed.

* * *

**_One week later._ **

Hiro, GoGo, and the rest of the team were at the airport waiting for GoGo’s family to arrive.

“Think your family will wanna check out a movie, GoGo?” Fred asked. “ _Space Sliders 8_ just came out.”

“There’s an eighth one?” Wasabi asked.

“Oh, yeah!”

“My folks won’t wanna see that, Fred,” GoGo said. “Not their kinda movie.”

“Oh.” Fred looked around. “Well, can we go?”

“Fred!” Wasabi and Honey Lemon shouted.

“What?” Fred asked.

Honey Lemon rolled her eyes. “So, what airline are they arriving on, GoGo?”

“No airline,” GoGo admitted. “Private plane.”

“Private?” Wasabi asked.

“Fred’s family isn’t the only one that’s rich.”

“You barely ever pay for anything!” Fred shouted.

“ _They’re_ rich,” GoGo declared. “Never said I was.”

Hiro rubbed GoGo’s arm but, unfortunately, it didn’t seem to help. He looked at his robotic companion, “Baymax, how long until their plane lands?”

Baymax calculated, “The plane will be landing in approximately 18 minutes on private runway 3.”

“Let’s go,” GoGo ordered, walking off without the others.

“I’ve never seen her like this,” Wasabi said, concerned.

“I have,” Honey Lemon admitted.

Hiro looked at Honey, confused. “You have?”

“I’ll tell you about it later.”

They waited by the private runway as a small G-7 plane made its landing. GoGo stood ahead of the team with her hands together in front of her in a perfect posture. Hiro couldn’t help but notice how uncomfortable she looked standing there.

A few minutes after the plane landed, the door to the plane opened, complete with a staircase, and Jeong Tomago, GoGo’s father, stepped out, wearing a dark blue business suit. He walked down the steps followed by Leslie Tomago, GoGo’s mother, who was wearing a light blue dress and white gloves.

Jeong and Leslie walked up to GoGo with Leslie hugging her, immediately.

“Ethel!” Leslie exclaimed.

“Hey, Mom,” GoGo replied, somewhat blandly as she hugged her back.

“I, literally, forgot that was her name,” Fred whispered.

“Shut up, Fred!” Wasabi ordered.

After the hug, GoGo looked at Jeong and bowed, “Father.”

“Ethel,” Jeong nodded.

“We have a surprise for you!” Leslie said as she motioned toward the plane.

One more occupant stepped into view; a young woman who seemed to be about the same age as GoGo. She was wearing a green dress with gold designs imprinted on it.

GoGo’s eyes widened and whispered, “Emily?”

“Uh-oh,” Hiro whispered.

“Not good,” Honey whispered.

“That’s her sister, right?” Wasabi whispered to them.

“Yep. Emily.”

“Do they get along?”

“Nope,” Hiro and Honey answered.

Emily walked up to GoGo and hugged her, “Big sister!”

GoGo gave her a one-handed hug. “Uh. Hey, Em. What are you doing here?”

“Mom and Dad told me they were coming to see you and I decided to come along!”

GoGo forced a half-smile. “Great!”

Emily looked at the rest of the team, “Are these your friends?”

“Yeah.” GoGo introduced everyone before coming to Hiro, “And this is Hiro. My boyfriend.”

“Oooh!” Emily said, walking up to Hiro. “The boyfriend! You’re a lot cuter than I was expecting.”

Hiro leaned back a bit, uncomfortably. “Uhhh, thank you.”

Jeong walked up to Hiro next, “So you are Hiro Hamada?”

“Yes, sir,” Hiro replied. He offered his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Silently, Jeong shook Hiro’s hand, mildly impressed by the firmness of Hiro’s grip.

“Well,” Leslie said, “will all you be joining us for dinner?”

“If that’s alright,” Honey Lemon said.

“Of course.” Leslie looked at GoGo, “Ethel, why don’t you come with us to the hotel and your friends can meet us later.”

GoGo shrugged, “If you want, Mom.” She looked at Hiro, “Mind… catching up later?”

Hiro couldn’t quite hide that it seemed like she didn’t want him to go with her, but nodded, nonetheless. “Sure. Whatever you want.”

GoGo walked away without a hug or a kiss. Hiro imagined that was to keep up appearances in front of her family but it still hurt a little bit.

Emily smiled and winked, “See you later, Hiro.”

Hiro forced a nervous smile. “Uh, sure.”

The Tomago family walked toward a waiting limousine.

“Did you have to do that?” GoGo asked.

“What?” Emily asked.

“Wink at my boyfriend.”

“I’m just being friendly, Ethel. You should try it sometime. You’d have a lot more friends.”

With that, GoGo was again reminded why she moved away from home. She exhaled, harshly. “Great.”

* * *

The team, sans GoGo, went back to the Lucky Cat Café and, while they all sat a table, Hiro was staring out of the window. The rest of the team didn’t know what to say, growing concerned about Hiro and GoGo and their relationship. Cass was with sitting with them, as well, having been told the whole story by the others.

“Even for her usual quiet-self, GoGo really doesn’t seem like herself,” Honey Lemon declared.

“Yeah,” Hiro said. “I mean… she never talks about her family. We’re always talking about mine. I wish she would just tell me what’s up.” He looked at the team, “Has she talked to any of you about them?”

“A little,” Honey admitted. “But… not much.”

“Barely anything,” Wasabi said. He looked at Fred, “Did you know anything?”

“Honestly, I thought she was born a mechanic,” Fred replied. “Like, seriously. Like… she was born and started working on motorcycles.”

“Huh. Usually, I’d question your sanity on that, but that actually makes a lot of sense. Anyway, it doesn’t look like she really… hates Emily or her parents.”

“It’s not like a… hate thing,” Hiro pointed out. “The problem is I don’t _what_ it is. I wish she would just tell me what’s going on.”

“I’m sure she’ll tell you everything, Hiro,” Honey said to him. “Eventually.”

“But she knows all about me. I mean… everything with Tadashi. I… it just… I dunno. It kinda hurts that she’s keeping so much from me.”

“People have their reasons, Hiro,” Cass said. “Especially GoGo. I know her and you do too. If there’s something she hasn’t told you, she has a good reason. She probably has _very_ good reasons.”

“Yeah, okay. Just bugs me, that’s all.”

“I know.”

Honey started to fidget, anxiously, “Just… give her a chance before you… give up on her.”

Hiro chuckled a bit. “I’ll never give up on her, Honey. I know she’s not the most open person in the world. But I don’t mind. She’s strong. It’s why I lo…” He stopped and his eyes widened.

Everyone stared at him, blankly.

Hiro looked around, nervously. “Why I… _care_ about her so much.”

Honey smiled. “Uh-huh. Sure. You meant… _care_.”

“Oh, dear,” Cass said, hiding a smile.

“I meant ‘care’!” Hiro said, blushing.

“Hiro, your heartrate has increased,” Baymax noted. “Is there a problem?”

“No! And I meant ‘care’!”

“Sure ya did,” Wasabi smiled.

Hiro opened his mouth and started to stutter, “O-o-o-o-oh! Look at the time! We should probably get ready to meet up with GoGo and her family!” He jumped to his feet, “I’ll go get ready!” He rushed upstairs without looking at anyone.

“He totally almost said it,” Honey said, shocked.

“Oh, yeah,” Wasabi agreed.

“He’s really grown up,” Cass said. “Just wish his parents and Tadashi were here to see it.”

Wasabi rubbed Cass’s shoulder while Honey hugged her.

“He almost said what?” Fred asked.

* * *

When Hiro got to his room, he slammed his door shut and exhaled. He thought about what he almost said. Part of him knew better than to just blurt that out. But another part knew it was true and he was wondering why he was stopping himself from admitting it.


	2. Part 2

** Part 2 **

Hiro, Honey Lemon, Wasabi, and Fred were dressed in their finest attire; the rest of the team doing everything they had to convince Fred to put on a suit. And clean underwear, much to their dismay of how much convincing that took. Cass also came along for a little extra support, at the request of the team. They all arrived at a five-star restaurant in the middle of downtown then were escorted to a private room toward the back of the restaurant. When they walked in, GoGo was relaxed a little to see her friends, with added relief when she saw Cass among the group. Cass always added a motherly stability to the group that GoGo really appreciated. The group walked over to the table and GoGo stood up, hugged Hiro, and kissed him on the cheek.

“Hey,” GoGo whispered.

“Hey,” Hiro smiled at her. “You okay?”

“I’m better now.”

The team and Cass all sat down at the table. They ate and talked amongst each other for a couple of hours. Things seemed to be going very well, but Hiro noticed GoGo still seemed withdrawn, even for her. GoGo looked at her father and mother as they stared at her friends.

He put his hand on top of hers. “You okay?” he whispered.

GoGo looked at Hiro and gave a small yet unsure smile.

“You wanna go?”

She stared at him, surprised. “You’d leave with me?”

“Well, yeah,” he replied. “Let’s go.”

They were about to make a move to get up but didn’t get a chance to before GoGo’s father spoke up.

“So, Hiro,” Jeong said, “what are your intentions with my daughter?”

“Oh, boy!” Fred shouted, causing Wasabi and Honey Lemon, who were sitting on either side of him, to elbow him in the chest.

Hiro settled back down and shrugged. “Well. I… care for her. Very much.”

GoGo looked at Hiro and began to blush.

“She’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. My parents are gone, and my brother died in a fire.” Hiro looked at Cass, “It’s just been me and Aunt Cass. But…” he looked at the team, “I have my friends here and I wouldn’t be anywhere without them.”

The team smiled.

Hiro looked at GoGo. “Then… we became a lot more than friends. My brother’s death still hurts, but… it doesn’t hurt as much as it used to. That’s all because of GoGo. I know I still have a long way to go to be a man she deserves, but I’m determined to get there. She makes me want to get there. She deserves it.”

Jeong was impressed.

GoGo felt her heart skip a beat. She always did her best to help Hiro feel a little less pain. To know she succeeded and to hear him say all that about her made her emotions for Hiro grow even stronger. She wanted to tell him how much she didn’t deserve him right now.

“Oh, that’s so sweet!” Emily said.

GoGo had to resist rolling her eyes. It wasn’t easy.

“What a lucky girl you are, Ethel!”

“I’m the lucky one,” Hiro corrected.

“So sweet,” Emily said. “What brought you two together?”

“What do you mean?” Hiro asked.

Emily shrugged, “Well, it’s not like your exactly Ethel’s type.”

GoGo tensed up at that. Honey Lemon saw it, clearly, but didn’t know what to do about it or if she even should do anything.

Hiro was a little baffled at first. But shrugged in turn, “I mean, people can have that opinion, I guess. But… some things just click when they’re supposed to. Other people’s opinions don’t really matter to me, especially when it comes to GoGo. We work. I’m grateful for that.”

GoGo almost relaxed at hearing that.

“You really are a sweet guy, Hiro.” Emily looked over GoGo, “Honestly, sis, how did you find such a guy?”

“I’m still trying to figure that out,” GoGo admitted.

“We kinda found each other,” Hiro declared. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without GoGo and everyone else here.”

“Sounds like you’re pretty sweet,” Emily said. “You’re cute, too.”

GoGo cringed, subtly, at that. She managed to keep her cool.

Until Emily took it one more step too far.

Emily took hold of Hiro’s hand and used her other hand to rub his arm, “You’re a very impressive guy, Hiro.”

It was only a couple of seconds but that was all it took. GoGo’s anger rushed at a speed she couldn’t stop or control. GoGo didn’t realize Hiro was slowly trying to pull away from Emily. But, at this point, it didn’t matter.

“Get your hands OFF OF HIM!” GoGo shouted as she sprang to her feet.

Emily’s eyes widened in a shot, and she jumped away from Hiro.

“You touch him again and I’m gonna smack you!”

“Oookay, GoGo,” Hiro said, nervously, as he stood up. “It’s all good.”

“It’s not good!” GoGo replied. “It’s why I don’t like it when she comes around.” She looked at her sister and her parents. “When any of them do!” She growled, “They pick me apart and my life and my friends. But one of the few things I have that matters to me, that means the world to me, you try to steal, Em!” She shot her eyes over to her parents, “And, knowing you, you’d give it to her!”

Emily was stunned. “Ethel. That… that’s not true. I’m sorry, I wasn’t…”

“Dear,” Leslie pleaded. “We’d… we’d never do that!”

“Don’t!” GoGo shouted. “Just go home! All of you go home and leave me alone! Just like you always do!” She stormed out on her own.

“GoGo!” Hiro called out. “GoGo!”

But she was too far gone for his voice to reach her. Even if she did hear him, she wasn’t coming back to that table.

The team, Cass, and the Tomago family all sat there stunned. No one had ever seen GoGo like that.

“That was… _really_ scary!” Fred declared.

“No kidding,” Wasabi agreed.

Hiro stared at the direction GoGo left and exhaled, sitting back down.

“Hiro, aren’t you going after her?” Cass asked him.

“Not yet, Aunt Cass,” Hiro answered. “She needs a minute alone.”

“Where do you think she’s going?” Honey Lemon asked.

“I know where. I’ll meet her later.” Hiro looked at GoGo’s family. “I hope you all don’t take that too harshly. She… she just gets mad. And takes things pretty hard.”

“I had no idea she felt that way,” Emily admitted.

“Neither did I,” Jeong breathed out. “I… never wanted her to think…”

“We never talk to her,” Leslie admitted, exasperatedly. “Didn’t I tell you that’s why she moved here? We never tell her we’re proud of her or all she’s done. We never say how amazing she is, how smart she is! She doesn’t know how much we love her or how proud we are because we don’t say it! Honestly. How else was she supposed to react?”

“But why didn’t she ever say anything?” Jeong asked, desperately.

“You know how independent she is. If something’s bothering her, she keeps it to herself.” Leslie sighed. “And how hard did we try?”

“Please, don’t blame yourself, Mrs. Tomago,” Hiro said. “She knows she can be tough sometimes and she’s sorry for it. Sometimes. But she’s got a great heart and never means to hurt anyone. She cares and loves all of you. She just doesn’t know how to show it and, on rare occasions… _very_ rare occasions, she worries she’s not good enough. That’s just who she is.”

Leslie smiled. “You really do know my daughter.”

Hiro smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Will she be okay?” Emily asked.

“After a while. Just… she needs to cool down the motor a bit.”

“Heh,” Fred chuckled. “Motor. I see what you did there.”

* * *

**_45 Minutes Later._ **

The team and Cass went back to the Lucky Cat, having changed back into their normal attire, all unwinding from the events at dinner. GoGo’s family had gone to their hotel with Hiro promising he’d get GoGo to call them when he talked to her.

“How much longer are you going to give her?” Wasabi asked Hiro.

“Not much,” Hiro answered. “Just a few more minutes. Then I’ll go find her.”

“You know where she is?”

“I have a solid idea.”

“And what are you gonna say?” Honey Lemon asked.

“Whatever she needs me to,” Hiro answered.

“How _do_ you know where she is?” Fred asked.

“Because I know her.”

“But what… are you going to say?” Honey Lemon asked.

Hiro smiled. “Like I said, what she needs to hear.”

“Aaaaaaand what if she needs to hear the ‘L’ word?”

Hiro blushed. “I… don’t know if were at that point, ya know?”

“But do you?” Honey Lemon asked.

Hiro thought about that for a while. But he still wasn’t sure how he should answer. He looked up at the clock. “I’m guessing she’s cooled off enough now.” He stood up. “I’ll call you guys later.”

“Take care of her, Hiro,” Cass said.

Hiro smiled. “Always.” He left the café.

“He totally does,” Wasabi smiled.

“Oh, completely,” Honey Lemon agreed.

“He’ll say it when he needs to,” Cass added.

Fred nodded, “Ohhhhhh! The ‘L’ word. I get it now! Oh, yeah! He’s in way deep.”


	3. Part 3

** Part 3 **

GoGo was leaning against the railing of the pier, staring at the city lights. She hated herself for how stupidly she acted. Moreover, she hated that she let herself think for a second Hiro would prefer Emily just because she was nicer. GoGo knew better but she couldn’t help it. She was actually scared at the idea of losing Hiro but mad at herself at thinking that was even a possibility.

“Wow. You usually look at me like that when I make an obvious calculation mistake.”

GoGo looked to see Hiro approach. He walked next to her then rested his arms on the railing, as well.

“How’d you know I was here?” GoGo asked.

“You’re my girlfriend, GoGo,” Hiro replied. “If I don’t know where you go to clear your head, I’m doing something wrong. Besides, part of our first date was here.”

“That wasn’t a date.”

He looked at her, smiling. “Yeah, it was.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, okay.”

They stared at the city lights in silence for a while. Hiro knew GoGo would talk, eventually, but only when she was ready. He didn’t mind waiting.

“I just love looking at the city,” GoGo said.

“Yeah, me, too,” Hiro said.

“Let’s me think. Clear my head.”

“So does anything that involves moving at high speed.”

“True,” she shrugged. “But I didn’t trust myself to pay attention going 80 miles per hour, right now.”

“That’s fair,” he replied. “And thanks for that. I would’ve worried about you.”

They were quiet for a while longer before Hiro broke the silence, “We can talk whenever you want, by the way. In case you were waiting for an invitation.”

“What about?” GoGo asked.

“Anything you want, really. But, I gotta admit, I’m interested in you and your family. What’s going on?”

She sighed. “You just saw it.”

“I heard you yell. Which was scary, by the way. I didn’t know you could be so loud.”

“I didn’t like Emily being all over you.”

“Is that what set you off?” he asked.

She looked at him then looked away, “It was… the main thing.”

“Okay, I get that. But you do know that I don’t want to be with your sister. At all, right? I’m with you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know!” She groaned and took a breath. “But… she’s actually a sweet person, when she’s not being a jerk.”

“Yeah,” Hiro said. “And?”

“She’s just… not like me at all. If I’m being honest, her personality is way closer to yours than mine is or ever will be.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

GoGo looked around, “Look…” She sighed. “I’m not… the most touchy-feely person. What if that gets to be a problem for you?”

“It’s not now. It won’t be later. You’re acting like I expect you to be different, GoGo, or that I wish you were. And I don’t. I got to know who you are before we ever attempted this relationship. Who you are is the person who’s always been there for me. And that’s the person I want to be with.”

“But why? We’re so different!”

“You’re saying that over and over again like that’s bad. It’s not.” He smiled. “Besides, you’re plenty touchy with me when we’re alone. And I like it.”

“But that’s not all the time, either,” she said. “I barely do it in public.”

“Again, I don’t care. I’m pretty sure I said all this at dinner.”

GoGo exhaled, ruefully.

“But, tell me why you blew up like that,” Hiro requested. “I mean, yeah, your folks seem… rigid but they’re not that bad. So, what’s up?”

GoGo stared at him for a while. “It’s not like I think they hate me or anything. I know they don’t. I know they love me. As far as I can tell. But… they don’t get me. And, because they don’t get me, they don’t talk to me. They don’t talk to me, so I don’t talk to them. I… know they’re not proud of me. I let them down. Most of the people in my family became doctors or scientists.”

“You’re a scientist.”

“Yeah. Of engines and wheels. They’re scientists of biology of all kinds. Doctors, ya know. I even have a couple of cousins who are psychiatrists.”

“Okay, so, what’s that got to do with you?” Hiro asked.

“It makes me the weirdo,” GoGo said. “Me and my parents could never find any common ground. So, we grew apart. Even if we want to apologize for how we act, we can’t because we don’t know how. It’s not like you and Aunt Cass. We can’t just sit down, talk it out, then hug. Or hug then talk it out. That’s not us. We just… don’t talk. There’s a problem… we ignore it. The more we ignored, the more we didn’t talk. So… I just left. The chance to enroll in the Institute showed up and I jumped on it. _Anything_ to leave home.” She let her mind drift a bit, “But… being here, being around Aunt Cass… when she hugs me… it’s something… I can’t even explain. How awesome that feels. It just sucks I can’t even get that from my own family.”

It was the first time how clearly Hiro could see it. This amount of distress GoGo carried around. And his heart was breaking for her.

“GoGo, why didn’t you ever tell me any of this?” Hiro asked.

“Because I don’t need your sympathy!” GoGo shouted.

Hiro stared at her.

GoGo realized her anger, how misplaced it was, and shied back. “I’m… sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

She sighed, “No, it’s not. You don’t… give me a reason to yell at you.”

“All the time,” he smiled.

She scoffed. “All the time.” She threw her head back then stared at the city again. “I didn’t tell you because… what I’ve been through doesn’t hold a candle to what you’ve been through.”

“Me having some tragedy in my life doesn’t mean that your life doesn’t matter,” Hiro pointed out.

GoGo nodded, “I know. But… that really was the reason I never told you. You had to deal with your parents and Tadashi…” She couldn’t even complete that sentence. She shook her head, “What was I gonna say? ‘Hey, Hiro, I don’t like talking to my family because we don’t like to talk. They’re all fine but lousy at communicating. I left home because I don’t like to talk, either. Isn’t that horrible?’”

“Yes. Exactly that. Word for word.”

She looked at him, curiously.

“You tell me what’s up. I don’t mind you not being affectionate all the time. But I’m worried if something’s going on with you and you don’t tell me about it.” He put his hand on hers. “I just… want you to know that I’ve got your back the way you’ve always had mine.”

She nodded, “I know. I’ve always known that. And… I’m really sorry if I made it seem like I didn’t.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.” She looked at his hand. “That’s just one more way we’re different, I guess. You’re always ready to help out.”

“Took me a long time to get there,” he reminded. “Don’t forget: I was a really selfish kid when we first met.”

“You haven’t been that way in a very long time. And that’s just it. Who you are… it’s this really caring person.”

“So are you.”

“Not everyone knows that.”

“Yeah, they do,” he argued.

“It’s not always obvious,” she said. “That’s why… I sometimes worry about us.”

He chuckled, “Good one.”

She gazed into his eyes, not saying a word.

His smile faded as he was taken aback. “Wait. Wait, seriously? You do?”

“Yeah. I know how we look on the surface, how everyone sees us. I know all anyone ever talks about is how different we are from each other. Even the team knows it. You’re way more expressive than I am. I’m always closed off and giving two-word answers to every question.”

He shrugged, “So? Who cares if people talk about it? Let ‘em talk. What do you care?”

“I don’t,” she said. “All the time.” She sighed, “Just… I know what a jerk I am.”

“We’ve had this conversation before.”

“My point is that, I sometimes think that maybe…” she stared at him, “you… should have someone more like you. Who can be more… a _better_ girlfriend. Someone always shows what you mean to her. No matter who’s around. No matter what she’s dealing with. Someone… better than me.”

He stared at her for a long while. He took a deep breath. “GoGo. I’m going to say something to you I never, _ever_ thought I’d say.”

She readied herself for the worst, fully expecting to confirm she was right. “Okay.”

“That… was… the absolute _dumbest_ thing I have ever heard in my life. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard you say in the entire time I’ve known you. Honestly, I had no idea you were capable of thinking of anything _that_ stupid then saying it, out loud.”

She had to process the full weight of what he just said. Then resist the urge to punch him. She, instead, narrowed her eyes at him, “Romantic.”

“And you being this dumb is supposed to be endearing?” he asked.

She looked away, embarrassed.

“GoGo, your family or your relationship with your family doesn’t change how I feel about you. Once again, you’re plenty affectionate with me and I really enjoy it. And whoever is talking about us being different, obviously, doesn’t know anything about you and me, and what you’ve done for me and what you do for me. You make me better. Remember that whole mess with Professor Callaghan?”

“How could I forget?”

“You kept me from making one of the biggest mistakes of my life and cared about me when you had every right to be mad at me.” He took hold of her hand. “And, for your family not to be huggers, the hug you gave me that day meant the world to me.”

She blushed.

“I mean, did it ever occur to you that the only reason I’m not as crazy as Callaghan was is because of you?”

GoGo wouldn’t look him in the eyes. She just shrugged.

Hiro cupped her chin and brought her face up, so she had to look him in the eyes. “I may be smart but it’s useless if I don’t have motivation. Even if that’s a punch in the gut.”

“Happy to provide those,” she smirked. “I almost gave you one just a second ago.”

“I know.”

She sighed, “Alright, alright. Look, I’m sorry about acting like a girl.”

“You are a girl,” he replied, “but go on.”

“I just… that’s just what happens when I get around my family. My thoughts get all jumbled up and I act like a moron. I have this image of myself in my head, but it changes when I’m around them. I’m not the perfect little girl that my parents want. I’m the weird little sister that my brother was stuck with, and I’m the weird _older_ sister Emily doesn’t tell her friends about. I just… never learned how to really deal with that.”

“I’m sorry you have to go through that.”

“Don’t be. It’s why I came to the Institute. I could be alone here, by myself. Do what I loved and not worry about what other people thought about me. I was able to focus and really get be myself, even if I was alone.” She paused for a moment. “Then a weird thing happened.”

“What?” he asked.

“I ended up not being alone anymore. I made friends. Tadashi. Wasabi. Honey Lemon. Fred.” She stared at him. “And you. Then… all this with us happened.”

He put his arm around her waist and pulled her close, “I’m glad it did.”

“Same here,” she moved closer to him. “I needed it.”

“Me, too.”

They leaned in and kissed one another. After the kiss, GoGo kept her face close to Hiro’s and, absentmindedly, whispered, “I love you.”

Hiro’s eyes widened as he stared at her.

GoGo gasped. “Oh, my God,” she whispered. She backed away from him, out of his grip, and her mind scrambled to come up with some way of covering up her admission. “Hiro, I… I-I’m sorry. I didn’t… I mean, I did but I didn’t mean to just… j-j-j-just blurt that out! I…” She ran her hands through her hair. “Oh, man! What did I just do? What did I do?”

“GoGo,” Hiro said, causing her to stop. He walked up to her and smiled. “I love you, too.”

She gasped and started to blush. She opened her mouth to speak but it took a while for words to form. For as much she wanted to hear that and loved it, she was worried about the conditions of which it was said. “You don’t have to say that because I said it first.”

“I’m not. I mean it, GoGo. I love you. Seriously. I just didn’t wanna say it and make you nervous.”

“It does,” she admitted. “Only because I know you mean it. And I mean it, too.”

“What’s wrong with that?” he asked.

“That I really wanted to hear it.” She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him as tight as possible, tears streaming from her eyes. He hugged her right back, a couple of tears of his own escaping.

“Promise me one thing,” GoGo whispered.

“I won’t tell anyone you cried,” Hiro whispered back.

“Well, that, too. But…” She kissed his cheek. “…if I’m ever this stupid again and forget this happened… just tell me you love me again.”

He looked at her, “And if I want to tell you ‘I love you’ just because?”

She wasn’t used to having tears falling this frequently. “I can live with that.”

“Good. Because I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

* * *

Hiro and GoGo walked back into the café and were shocked to see GoGo’s family sitting with the team and Cass.

“Mom?” GoGo asked. “Dad? Em?”

“Hey, E,” Emily greeted with a sad smile.

“What are all of you doing here?”

“We… wanted to talk to you,” Leslie answered.

“A talk that’s…” Jeong took a deep breath, “…long overdue.”

GoGo squeezed Hiro’s hand a little tighter. “O-okay.”

Jeong walked up to her and stared into his daughter’s eyes. “I am… extremely proud of you, Ethel. I always have been.”

GoGo’s eyes widened. Hiro smiled and he let GoGo’s hand go. He knew she didn’t need him in this moment.

“We all are,” Leslie said, standing next to her husband, tears already running down her cheek.

“We just…” Emily spoke up, “…never knew that you wanted to hear it.”

“After so long, I understand why a wall has been built between us,” Jeong said. “Why wouldn’t there be? I helped build it. All of your accomplishments, all of your feats of brilliance, you took my silence as disapproval. That was my fault. I am so sorry I ever made you think that I wasn’t proud of you, that I wasn’t proud of all you’ve done. When the opposite is true.”

GoGo fought back a cry that was threatening to come up.

“You’ve always been so brilliant,” Leslie said. She cupped GoGo’s cheek. “So strong. We just forgot that our little girl was behind that tough exterior.”

“Really easy to forget that,” Fred mused.

Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and Cass all hit him, immediately.

“OW!” Fred shouted.

“E,” Emily walked up to GoGo, “I can’t believe we’ve gotten to the point that you think I’d… try to steal your boyfriend. I would never do that to you. But you’re right. I’ve never said anything to make you think I wouldn’t try something like that. But, to be clear, I would never do that to you. Not ever. I love you, big sis. I look up to you. And, complete honesty: I wish I was half as smart as you are.”

“You’re…” GoGo swallowed the tears still threatening to emerge, “you’re kidding, right?”

“Remember the bike project I asked you about? You sent me the specs. It took me two weeks to make sense of all of it. You probably figured it out in two days.”

“Knowing her, three days,” Hiro joked. “It had to be perfect.”

GoGo rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“But no matter what, Ethel,” Jeong spoke up, “know that we are proud of you. Always. You’re not the daughter we didn’t want. You’re the phenomenal daughter we never deserved.”

Unable to hold herself back anymore, GoGo rushed forward and hugged her parents, tears coming from all of their eyes.

Hiro smiled at the sight. He was hoping something like this would happen and was relieved to see it. He didn’t know it would happen so soon, if at all, but he sure wasn’t complaining.

It provided Hiro with a little bit pride. He smirked. “Told ya so,” he sang, quietly.

“No, you didn’t,” GoGo said.

“Yeah, I did.”

GoGo scoffed and let go of her family. She looked at Hiro, “Why do I love you again?”

“Because I’m smart, irritate you, and love you too,” Hiro answered.

GoGo shook her head but couldn’t help but smile, “Yeah, okay.”

Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Fred, and Cass all stared at the couple in shock.

“Did…” Wasabi said.

“Did they just…” Honey Lemon said. A huge smile began to form on her face.

“Hiro,” Cass whispered, tears coming from her eyes.

“Oh,” Hiro blushed. “Right. None of you… were there for that.”

GoGo walked up to Hiro and took hold of his hand, “Can you blame me? I mean…” She looked up at him, “He’s… really lovable.”

He smiled back at her, “Ditto.”

Jeong cleared his throat, “Well! I think there’s only one thing to say.” He walked up to Hiro and offered his hand. “Welcome to the family.”

Hiro shook his hand, smiling, “Very glad to be here, sir.”

“So… could we try this again?” Leslie asked. “Properly this time?”

“I’d love that,” GoGo replied.

They all sat down and talked long into the night.


End file.
